I'm NEW! Central Florida AND looking for some resources and recommendations

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gclarrot said:
I am SUPER new as in I don't even have hens yet.
I am located in beautiful, sunny, central Florida in Seminole County incorporated (as in, I am county!). I am allowed 4.
As terrible as this time is currently in our world, I have finally been able to finally make a commitment into backyard hens. It seems like the perfect time as my children are home but homeschooling is our new thing. I've always wanted a farm as horses, hens, ducks...you get the gist. We have a good sized lot so my husband and i agreed hens it would be.
I want to in particular have them just for eggs, and once (if they do?) stop ever laying I would like to have them for also eat.
I currently have two dogs( two black Labrador retrievers, and three cats) , and two boys (age 7 and 11) and I'm stay at home. Yes, my house sounds a little crazy. No, it's never quiet unless theyre outside, somewhere else, or playing video games.

I purchased my home, and my backyard is an empty slate - as in, needs a lot of work. I rather build my backyard oasis around hens.

What are your recommendations for hens that lay medium to large eggs regularly throughout the year, and wouldn't be terrible to eat? Also, good around children.

Also, favorite resources for new beginning chicken owners? Feed? care? etc? easy to understand.

Favorite words of wisdom about hens?

Anything else to throw out there that someone wished they told you?
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC, and welcome to a great passion.

As it has been said, look around and do a lot of research, as I have found one mans dream breed, has been another’s nightmare.

My current little flock of 9 chics all around 4.5 weeks old, is a mix. I have some lavender Orps, speckled Sussex, Rhode Island Reds.

My breakdown for friendliness with this flock has been the following. My Reds, are daddy’s girls, I can’t go past the brooder box, with out them chirping and standing tall wanting me to pet them. If they want to be picked up and loved, when I stick my hand in the box they jump into my palm. When it’s time to refill the feeder, the Reds, have to have a peck or 2 from my hand or they will stare at the food and at me until I hand feed them even just a bite or two.

My SS, 1 of them is close to my Reds in behavior, I think she is just a copy cat. Instead of hopping into a hand she weasels her way so her legs are between your fingers and laying in my palm, her way of saying ok pick me up and love me. Another of my SS is named drama queen, loves to yell at you for attention so you pick her up 30 seconds later, yelling she wants back down and repeat if you let her. The other SS are normal birds, they will eat out of my hand but won’t try to get the extra attention. I have to watch one of them closely, she is a runt, she is healthy,eats and drinks fine, just small, I really think she is a week behind the others.

The Lavender Orps, are my skittish birds, they run and act like the world is ending when you open the brooder, they will eat from my hand but if i wiggle a finger they are off and running scared. I’ve tried all I can think of to help them get use to us, and act a little more like the rest. They are just this way with my birds, others have different experiences.

They are all known as great large egg layers 200+ eggs a year so hopefully this won’t effect anything.
Hope this helps a little.
 

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